LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) makes a catch as Clemson defensive back Garry Peters (26) watches during the first half of the Chick-fil-A Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) less

LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) makes a catch as Clemson defensive back Garry Peters (26) watches during the first half of the Chick-fil-A Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in ... more

Georgia head coach Mark Richt, center, is doused by defensive end Ray Drew (47), flanker Chris Conley (31) and free safety Marc Deas (23) after their 45-31 win over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl NCAA college ... more

Photo: Brant Sanderlin

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Regular-season winners not always champions

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DENVER — The Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons, who tied for the league's best record at 13-3, are well aware of one of the NFL's biggest truisms: More often than not, the regular season is for suckers.

Over the past decade, just two of the 13 teams that had the best regular-season record — or tied for the best mark — went on to win the Super Bowl: the 2002 Buccaneers and the 2003 Patriots.

The past eight teams to enter the playoffs with the best record bowed out before they could put their fingerprints on the Lombardi Trophy.

Both the Broncos and Falcons are promising to practice like champions this week and not allow rest and relaxation to turn into rust and ruin.

In the past seven seasons, three No. 6 seeds and a No. 4 seed ended up winning it all, giving hope to the likes of the Ravens, Redskins, Bengals and Vikings in this year's playoff pool.

A year ago, the Green Bay Packers rested their regulars in the season finale and they lost their edge, becoming the first 15-1 team to lose its first playoff game — to a New York Giants team that was 7-7 in mid-December and went on to win it all.

"That's kind of what it was for us when I was in Indy," Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley said of the 2005 Colts, who went 14-2 but lost to Pittsburgh in the divisional round. "We kind of rested the last week, then we had a bye. It's too much. So, I like just grinding every week, just playing football."

That's exactly what Peyton Manning's new team did, securing the AFC's top seed Sunday with its 11th straight win.

Along with the Falcons, Patriots and 49ers, the Broncos get a break this week, one that can prove a pitfall as much as a profit.

"We've just got to practice like we're playing this week," Denver receiver Eric Decker said.

While the Broncos stormed into the playoffs, the Falcons, who already had the NFC's top seed secured, didn't gain any momentum Sunday, losing to Tampa Bay.

"Before this game was played, we were the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, at the end of the game, nothing has changed," Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez reasoned. "We're a very good team; we'll just use this as a wake-up call."